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Harvest praise band releases CD

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by:
Michael Eng
Managing Editor

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Some bands labor over a recording project for years.

Harvest United Methodist Church’s HY5 Praise Band completed its debut album in one day.

The group, comprising eight teenagers and Harvest Youth Minister Scott Harris, released “Believe Belong Live Love Grow” in April. Recorded in one whirlwind session at Cornerstone United Methodist Church in Naples, the six-track disc features covers of popular contemporary Christian tunes as well as Harris’ own arrangement of “Come Thou Fount.”

“This is something I’ve always wanted to do; it’s always been in the back of my mind,” Harris said. “It was crazy and hectic, but it was a great experience.”

Normally, recording studio rates range from $50 to $80 per hour. But Harvest was able to offer its facility to Cornerstone’s Holy Moly band for a concert in exchange for studio time in the Venice church’s Broom Closet Studios.

“It definitely was a great opportunity for us,” Harris said.

The band rehearsed feverishly in the weeks before the studio date. Because of time constraints, the band had to record everything live — meaning each musician had to play his or her parts perfectly at the same time. There was no time to go back and rerecord a botched drum fill or guitar solo.

“The first 45 minutes were rough; there was a lot of stop and go,” Harris said. “But then, we kicked it into gear. The kids did a great job.”

The CD is both a memento for the HY5 Praise Band and the Harvest family as well as a promotional tool for the music program as a whole. Because the band utilizes teenage musicians, its lineup likely will change every few years. But Harris hopes projects such as “Believe Belong Live Love Grow” will stimulate interest for years to come.

“All of the money (from CD sales) goes into the ministry of music here,” he said. “We hope to keep it going and make it sustainable.”

And of course, the album gives the group a chance to share their Christian faith.

“In the (CD liner notes), there are no names; it’s not really about us or glorifying ourselves,” he said. “This is all about providing a message that’s inspiring to people.”

“Believe Belong Live Love Grow”
HY5 Praise Band’s debut CD is available for $10. Anyone interested in purchasing the CD can do so from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, at Harvest United Methodist Church, 14305 Covenant Way Lakewood Ranch. For more information, e-mail Carin Doddroe, [email protected].